Rand sneaking through utter darkness toward Callandor, while all around him six men and five women walked, some hunting him and some ignoring him, some trying to guide him toward the shining crystal sword and some trying to stop him from reaching it, appearing not to know where he was, or only to see him in flashes. One of the men had eyes of flame, and he wanted Rand dead with a desperation she could nearly taste. She thought she knew him. Ba'alzamon.

Rand in that dry, dusty chamber again, with those small creatures settling into his skin.

Rand confronting her, and the women with her, and one of them was a Seanchan.1

She tells Captain Canin to have their horses put ashore including Mist. Once they are all ashore, they admire the view of the Stone of Tear. Elayne recalls Atuan Sedai telling her the White Tower could not build it today. They mount their horses and begin riding through the city while they discuss how to find Liandrin. Elayne suggests hiring a thief-taker like Hurin. They do not want to stay at an inn, as that will make them easier to find, so Nynaeve looks for a Wisdom, or her Tairen equivalent, and eventually finds one. Egwene ties Mist beside Nynaeve's horse thinking that Gaidin is a poor name for a horse. The woman who opens the door introduces herself as Mother Guenna. Nynaeve asks for something for a queasy stomach and the two of them start discussing herbs. When Nynaeve asks about the weather, Mother Guenna mentions Sea FolkWindfinders. After a while, she tells them to call her Ailhuin. The main complaint she has heard lately is bad dreams.2Nynaeve offers to hire her spare bedroom and she agrees. Nynaeve tells her they are hunting thieves and Darkfriends. The things they stole were old and not of much value. Ailhuin tells her about Leuese Mulan who pulled up some cuendillar dishes in his fishing nets and got rich. Ailhuin says she has decided on the man they need, Juilin Sandar, a thief-catcher. Ailhuin leaves to go find him. Egwene tells Nynaeve that she is as good a manipulator as Moiraine causing her to go white. Elayne slaps her for it. They wait for Ailhuin to return.